Brooder.



PATNTBD PEB. 2G, 1906.

H. F. BAU.

lBRODER.

APPLICATION FILED APR.7,1904.

WTNESSES.'

A TT ORNE No. 813,115'. PATENTBD FEB. 20, 1906.

H. F. RA U.`

BROO'DER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 'l'. 1904. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. 7h 61M vow fea .l 6,2? 62 gx w g.

y oooooa Wl TNESSES.' /N VEN TOR.

By 4 .J ef' //d/ j am ATTORNEY HENRY F. RAU, OF TACOMA, VASHINGTON.

BROODER.

no, alanis.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Iatented Feb. 20, 1906.

'Application nea Aprii 7, 1904. serai No. 201,956.

To (LIZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY F. RAU, a citi-k d the chickens the effects of hen in warmth and softness of pressure on the chickens backs; third, which will enable the chickens while under the hover to breathe the cooler pure air outside of the hover; fourth, which vwill keep the sand on the bottom of the brooder in a comparatively cool state., and, fifth, which will so utilize the heat from the burner that the greatest economy of fuel is attained. I attain these objects by the devices and arrangement of parts illustrated'in the accompanying drawings, in which#- Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through my broeder. Fig. 2 isl`an enlarged section through the hover and the heating arrangements on a line at right angles to the section shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a reduced horizontal section of the main brooder, tak/en on a line just above the diaphragm. Fig. 4 is a reduced side view of the exercising-room when in its lowest position to provide a runway for the chickens from the open ground to the main brooder; andFig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section of the upper part of the hover, the feathersbeing removed from their place in order to clearly show the direction of the air-currents.

Similar letters and numerals of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In this invention I have endeavored to reproduce as closely as possible the conditions produced by a hen in caring for heryoung. These may be briefly summed up as follows: fresh cool air to breathe, warm air under the hover containing a normal amount of moisl ture, light soft weight on the backs of the chickens, thereby producing an effect similar to the contact with the hens body, thus preventing the crowding of chickens in the cornersof the broodingchamber, and cool ground on which they stand, keeping their feet from unnatural conditions. I have further effected a novel and effectual construction and arrangement of the heating device whereby an unusual amount of heat is utilized for a given consumption of oil, and I am thereby able to reduce to a minimum the amount of oil consumed to heat the hover to the desired temperature.

In the drawings, A represents the main brooding-chamber; B, the compartment containing the lamp; C, the devices arranged for conducting and utilizing the heat and the heated air; D, the hover; E, the exercising and feeding'room. y i

The main brooding-chamber A consists of a box having two side walls 1 with inclined upper edges and two end walls 2. The walls 1 and 2 are double from the floor of the broodingchamber to the roof. The walls 1 are each pierced near their hi hest corners by the ventilators 3, preferab y covered with suitable screens to prevent 'the entrance into the chamber of. too great a draft and also of any marauding animals or of any undesirable objects. The walls 1 are also ierced by the glazed windows 4, as is also t e shorter end wall 2, to admit light into the chamber A. The other end wa 2 is provided with an opening 5 on a level withthe main floor, inside of which hangs the loose cloth or curtain 6. This opening is clo-sed by the board or latform 7, hinged at its lower edge at 8 and atched at its upperedge by the ordinary spring-latch (represented at 9) and when lowered adapted to o erate as-an inclined passage leading from tlhe chamber A to the exercising and feeding room E. When the board or platform 7 is lowered, the curtain 6 prevents the entrance of too great a draft through the opening 5. The roof 10 closes the top of the brooding-chamber A, resting on the tops of the walls 1 and 2. The-roof is not attached to the walls and is readily removed therefrom.

The floor of the brooding-chamber A consists of two parts-the part 11, extending from the walls 1 and 2 to abouthalf-way toward the center of the chamber A, and the part 12, occupying the central hole left in the part 11. The part 12 itself has a circular hole in its center, as will more particularly be mentioned in the description of the parts C, mentioned above. The floor parts 11 and 12 join and are supported by means of the bars 13, resting on the similar bars 40, as hereinafter described and as shown in Figs. 1, 2,

IOO

n another paper and more clean san the lam and burner, so as to keep the lamp and lamp-tray to be readily removed from 'of the tray isalso provided with a pair of and 3. T he Hoor parts 1 1 and 12 are covered l with sand to a depth voi' about one and onei half inches. A convenient way of kee ing the surface sand clean is to lay a sheet o pa- .l per below the surface of the sand, and then when-it is desired to c-lean the brooder this paper is removed, carrying with it the sur- Y face sand, which may then .'be rplaced by l Referringr to Figs. 1 and 2, the lamp-coinpartment l is located at thebottoxe of the rooder-box, below the main floor thereof, and is a long narrow compartment extending from the shorter end ,wall 2 to a point beyond the center-otl the box. It is o en at the bottom to allow the cool air to circa ate about cool an to supply cool air to the burner, but is closed on its two sides by the walls 20 and at its end by the wall 21. The outer wall or door 22 is removable, so as' to allow the lamp the compartment B. -The `wall or door 22 has a small glazed hole 23 therein, adapted to allow the flame of the lamp to be inspected. The top of the compartment B is closed by the horizontal ceiling 24; extending across the broeder-.box at a level lower than the above-described iioor parts 11 and 12 and having a hole 25 at the center directly over the lamp. Each of the sides 20 of the compartment B is provided with a strip or track 26 along its lower edge. The lamp 27 is independent of the metal lam -chimney or flue 2S and is su ported on the amp-tray, which consists of t le board 29, extending the length of the compartment B, and the board 30, secured to thelower side of the board 29 and adapted to support the lamp 27, which,4 rests thereon and extends upward through the hole 31 in the board 29. The tray has a bar 32 near its center adapted to ride on the above-mentioned strips 26.'r The lamp end guide-pieces 33, extending sidewise and engaging the walls 20 to guide the lamp 27, `so that it Will beplaced directly under the chimney 28. The other end ofthe tray is engaged by the cleats 34, which are pivoted to the strips 26 close to the door 22. When the tray-board 29 is pressed downward at its outer end, it will tip on the bar 32, raising the lamp 27 to the base of the chimney 28, and the cleats 34 are turned to engage the end of the board 29 to retain it in this position, The chimney 28 is provided with a small hole 35 in line with the glazed hole 23 and low enough down in the chimney so that the flame of the lamp may readily be seen through it even though the flame be turned very low, as is normally the case with my brooder.

The heater C consists of the lamp 27, the chimney 28, and t-he following parts, arranged and 'constructed substantially in the following manner: Referring to Figs. 1, 2,1

. zontal 'partition 24.

and 3, attention is called to the space betweenthe Hoor 11 12 and the ceiling or hori- This space is diyided into two portions by the bars 13 andlO. The

. outer portion has nothing to do with the heating and is always cooh T he advantage of this is that the part 11 of the main brooderfloor is kept cool, as no warmed air comes in contact with it. The bars 10, which are arranged in the same way as the bars 13, (shown in Fig. 3,) rest on the upper side ofthe ceiling 24. The two smoke-pipes 41 lead through the bars 40 to the outer double walls 1 and pass u )ward in them, being preferably conducte between the parts forming the double walls and having an outlet into the open air near the roof 1 0. These pipes 11 pass from the inner smoke-chamber at points near the middle of twolo posite sides. as shown in Fig. 3.] On top of t ie bars 40 is laid theiron` diaphragm or plate 42,'haying a central hole 13, through which the chimney 2,8 passes, and it also has the four small holes 14. Secured to the upper Side of this plate 42 is the heaterdome 45 directly over the chimney. This dorne is high enough to allow a slight space between it and the tcp of the chimney 28 and is broad enough to join the plate 42 outside of the above-mentioned holes 44. The metal chimney 28 is provided with lugs 16, which are ada ted to engage lugs 17, secured to the under slde of the diaphragm 42, so that it is supported in position by the plate.= The heat .generated by the lamp-flame, together with the hot gases, smoke, &c., rises up the chim-v ney 28 and fills the dome 45. Asthe heat is extracted from-the gases, &c., they'fall and pass'through the small holes 4-1 in the plate 42 to the smoke-pipes L11, leading through the outer space between the floor part 11 and the ceiling 24, and thus up inside the walls 1 of the brooder and out into the open air. It is plainthat all the hot air, &c., 'is concentrated under the dome and that only the part which has given up its heat escapes and make room for more heated air. In this way Lam able to operate my broeder for one hundred chickens in the coldest weather with a flame turned so low that the consumption vof oil is only about one pint in forty-eight hours. None of the vitiated air, gas', or smoke from the lamp can possibly gain admittance to the brooding-chamber.

The bars 13 are placed over the bars 4l), (having the diaphragm or rplate -12 between tlieniJ-and the parts 11 and 12 of the main iloor rest directly on the bars 13. The cool outside air is admitted into the central space inclosed by the bars 13 through the two airpipes 48. These pipes 48 leaddirectly from the outside of the walls 1 through lthe outer cool chamber between the Iloor 11. and the ceiling .24 and through the-bars 13.`entering the said central space directly over the point. where thc smoke-pipes -tl pass through the IOO bars 40, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The outer ends of these Y airpipes 48 are prou tected from too strong a draft or wind by the shields 49, which are open above and below, admitting air to the pipes, but obstructing any too great rapidity of motion of the air.

The central part 12 of the main iloor rests on' the bars 13 and is provided with a large central hole therein of somewhat greater diameter than the dome 45. into this hole is fitted and secured the short cylinder or pipe 50, extending upward above the floor and downward below it and around the dome, leaving, however, a space between its bottom and the top of the plate 42, through which the air to be heated may pass. To the bottom edge of this pipe 50 is secured the domeshaped piece 5l, having a central opening 52 at its top and being supported in a position rather' close to but not touching the dome 45. The space thus formed is the heating-chamber, where the fresh air from the pipes 48 is heated, so as to be delivered to the hover D.. Over the central hole 52 in the outer dome 51Iis supported on four legs 53 the moisturecan 54. This can is placed sufficiently close to the hole 52 that it will receive the heat therefrom and will direct it toward the sides instead of allowing it to pass straight upward. The can 54 I prefer to construct with a central inlet-top 55 and with outlet or evaporation holes 56, through which the heated water will slowly evaporate, restoring to the heated dry air the normal amount of moisture. The hover D receives the warm moist air and delivers it to the backs of the chickens which are under it and ,atthe same time presses lightly on their backs. It consists of the following parts: The cover consists of the two boards and 61, secured together with a layer of paper or of some other heat-insulating material between them, as shown at 62. To the under side of the lower board 61 is securedthe metal plate 63, to which is secured thejcylindrical piece 64, adapted to rest on thefloor 12 and to support the` hover. The ,length of the cylinder 64 is such that it will bring the plate 63 close to but not touching the top 55 of the water-can 54, and its diameter is greater than the diameter of the cylinder 50 above described. The cylinder 64v is provided with two rows of holes near its upper end or near the plate 63 and also with a lower row of holes 66, located lower down than the hereinafter-described hover-cloth, so that the cooler part of the warm air may pass beneath the hover-cloth to keep the spa ce where the chickens stand free from foul odors and stagnant air. T othe outer rim of the hover-cover 61 is secured the hover-cloth 67, which drops therefrom to a point an inch or two above the sand ot' the floor. This hover-cloth is made of thin soft material and is secured to the cylinder 64 between the above-mentioned holes 65 and 66 byany suitable means and may be supported at intervals from the cover 61 by means of anchor-strings 68. The hover-curtain 69-is secured to the cover 61, extending around the hover, and iscut vertically in the usual manner to enable the chickens to enter readily under the hover and to allow them to sit with. their bodies under the hover, but with their heads protruding from the curtain 69. Secured to the cylinder 64 at the same place that the hover-cloth 67 is secured is the in ner partei the conical wire-netting 70,

4extending upward and outward from the cylinder 64 to the plate 63, to which its outer end is attached. This wire-netting extends entirely aroundthe cylinder 64, forming a space between it and the cylinder, in which the air-currents are equalized and distributed along the surface of the netting. It also forms a space between it and the hover-cloth 67. This latter space is lilled with feathers or other light, warm, and soft materials 71. The warin moist air passes, through the holes 65' and into the space between the cylinder and the netting, then through the netting 7() all over its surface, then through the feathers 71 and the hover-cloth 67 to the backs ofthe chickens. The cooler air passes directly through the holes 66 under the hover-cloth 67 to provide air for ventilation and for breathing for the chickens which have their heads under the hover. The feathers 71 yform a reservoir of heat, preventing drafts, but allowing a constant stream of warm moist air to be evenly diffused through`them to the bodies of the chickens, and at the same time allowing the chickens to press upward against them without putting rnuchweight on their backs. l

The exercising and feeding room E consists ofthe two sides 80, pivoted to the two sides 1 of the main broeder at 81 and shaped with an inclined upper edge on which the roof 82 rests loosely. The upper edge of the roof 82 is placed brooder under the weather-stri 83, which is secured to said wall 2. The si es 80 are sup-v plied with windows 84, which provide light to the room. The licor 85 of the exercisingroom is placed at a lower level than that of the brooding-chamber, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The outer wall 86 of the room is provided with a removable d oor 87. Access is had to the loor 85 from the brooding-chamber through the abovedescribed opening 5 and down the inclined plane 7 when it is lowered. The outer end of the exercisingrooinis supported on the removable support, which is formed in the shape of a right-angled triangle having the two sides forming the right angle ot unequal lengths, the shorter `side 8,8 being used as a base and the longer side 89 as the support when the part E is to be used only as an exercising and feeding room and when the door 87 is in place, but

flush against the wall 2 of the .there is no exposedwoodeii leading to the lower edge of the floor 85 and the incline r leading from-its the main floor of the brooder.

. Taking now into consideration some of the 4advantages of niv brooder over any now on the market I might state that since the Haine of my heater is turned so very low the brooder is to all intents and purposes fireproof. Even should the ilanie be turned up too high Aupper edge to heated parts and the hot gases pass away in the smoke-pipes, which are direftlyunder the cold-air pipes, so that the edge of the duced to a minimum.

vplate 42 is kept from overheating; by the cold air directly over its hottest point. that ii' the lamp is turned too high too much heat will be generated for the comfort of the chickens, which are, however, free to move away from the source of heat to a suitable temperature; but the danger from fire is re- By placing my inoisture-cu at the point where the hottest and driest air strikes it I place it in the most advantageous point and am able to return to the air the normal amount of moisture which it should contain. v

I have found that by placing the feathers above the hover-cloth I am able to so closely imitate the effect of the pressure of a hens body on the chickens that there is absolutely no tendency of the chickens to crowd in the corners of the broeder-in fact, unless there are too man chickens for the size of the hover the chlckens act exactly as in the normal case of broodino with a hen.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent', is-

ne'ath -said hover.

l. In a brooder, the combination with a hrooding-chamber, of a hover therein, a hover-cloth secured to said hover, a layer of feathers supported by said hover-cloth, a wire screen above Said feathers and secured to said hover and adapted to keep said leathers in place, and means lor conveying a supply of'warm fresh air above said wire screen and to distribute it by said screen over a largey surface of said layer of feathers said Warm air passing downward through the feathers and the hover-cloth tothe space he- 2. Ina brooder, the combination with a brood-ingchamber having a floor, of a hollow cylinder supported vertically by said floor and having one or more rows of holes near part near the l It is true4 its up er end and a lower row of holes thered in, a iover-board se ured to and supported over the door by said cylinder, a hover-curtain depending from said hover-board, a hover-cloth secured to said hover-board and to said hollow cylinder below lsaid upper rows of holes therein, and means for conveying a supply of warm fresh air to the inside of the hollow cylinder said warm air passing through the holes therein and downward through said hover-clothto the space between it and said floor. 3. In a broeder, the combination with a brooding-chamber having a floor, of a hollow cylinder supported vertically by said floor and having one or'more rows of holes near its upper end and a lower row of holes therein, a hover-board secured to and supported over said floor by said cylinder, a hover-curtain depending from said hover-board, a hovercloth securedv to said hover-board and to said hollow cylinder between said upper and lower rows of holes therein, and means for conveying a su ly of fresh warm air to the inside of said ho libw cylinder the warmer part thereof passing through the upper-rows of holes therein and downward through said liover-cloth and the cooler part of the air passing through the lower holes directly under said hover-cloth.`

4. In a broeder, the combination with a broodiiig-chamber having a floor, of a hollow cylinder supported vertically by said oor and having one or more rows of holes near its upper end and a lower row of holes therein, a hover-board secured to and supported over said Hoor by said cylinder, a hover-curtain depending from said hover-board, a hovercloth secured to said hover-board and to said hollow cylinder between said. upper and lower rows of holes therein, a layer offeathers supported by said hover-cloth, a wire screen above said feathers and secured to said hollow cylinder and to said hover-board and adapte edI to keep said feathers in lace, and means for conveying a supply of flfesh warm air to the inside of said hollow cylinder the warmer par-t thereof passing through the upper rows of holes therein and downward through said irj hollow cylinder below said upper row of holes therein, a water vessel supported in-said hollow cylinder and having evaporation-holes therein, and means for conveying a supply of tgo warm fresh air tothe insideof said hollow cyll holes therein, a hover-ooard secured to and inder said warm airconung in contact' with said water vessel and being charged with moisture therefrom and passing through the holes in said hollow 5-,vlinder and d wn\\-'ard through said hover-cloth'to the space between it and said floor.

ln a brooder, the combination with a brooding-chamber having a fixed lloor with a Lft 'to said hoveraboard and central hole therein, of a removable floor fitting in said hole 1n said fixed floor and having a hole therein, of a bollo-n cylinder supported by said removable floor and surrounding the hole therein and having one or more rows of holes near its upper end, and a lower row of holes therein, a hover-board secured to and supported over the floor by said hollow cylinder', a hover-curtain depending from said hovenboard, a hover-cloth secured to said hollow cylinder'below said upper rows of holes therein, and means for conveying a sup ly of warm fresh'air to the inside of said hol ow cylinder said warm air passing through the upper holes therein and downward through the hovercloth to ihe space between it and said floor the cooler portion thereof passing through the lower holes directly to the under elle ol the hover-cloth thereby keeping the air under the hover pure.

7. In a brooder, the combination with. a brooding-chamber hawing a fixed lloor with a central hole therein, areniovable floor fitting in said hole in said fixed yfloor and having a hole therein, a"doine secured in the hole in said removable,y floor and having a hole in the apex thereof, a hollow cylinder sup orted vertically by said removable floor an surrounding the hole therein and having one or )riore rows of holes near its upper end and a lower row of holes therein, a hover-board secured to and supported over the floor by said hollow cylinder, a hover-curtain depending from said hover-board, a hover-cloth secured te said hover-board and to said hollow cylinder below said upper rowsof holes therein, a warmed surface within said dome, and pipes leading from the outside of the brooder to the space between said warmed surface and said dome and adapted to conduct fresh air to said warmed surface.-

8. ln a brooder, the combination with a brooding-chamber having a fixed floor with a central hole therein, a removable lloor fitting in said hole in said fixed floor and having a hole therein, a cylindrical sleeve secured in said hole and extending above and below said floor, a dome secured to the lower end of said sleeve 'and having a hole in the apex thereof said dome extending above and below said floor, a hollow cylinder supported vertically by said floor and surrounding said sleeve and dome and extending upward therefrom and having one oi more rows of vertically vin said hole insaid 'fixed lloor and having a supported over the lloor by said hollow cylinder, a hovercurta1u depending from said hover-btmrd, a hover-chith secured to said hover-board and to said hollow cylinder be- 7o low said u per rows ofholes therein, a

'armed surface within said dome, and pipes leading from the outside of the brooder to theV space between said warmed surface and said dome and adapted to conduct fresh air to said warmed surface.

9. ln a brooder, the combination with a brooding-chamber having a fixed floor with a central hole therein, a removable floor fitting 8o holetherein, a cylindrical sleeve securedin said hole and extending above and below said floor, a dome secured to the lower end of the sleeve and having a hole in the apex thereof said dome extending above and below said floor, a watervessel supported over the hole in said dome and having evaporation-holes therein, a hollow cylinder supported vertically by said hoor and surrounding said water vessel said sleeve and said dome and extending above said water vessel and having one or more rows of holes near its upper end and a lower row of holes therein, a hover-board secured to and supported over the floor by said hollow cylinder, a hover-curtain depending from said hover-board, a hover-cloth secured to said hoverfboard and to said hollow cylin der below said upper rows of holes therein, a

warmed surface within said dome, and pipes leading from the outside of the brooder to the space between said warmed surface and said dome and adapted to conduct fresh air to said warmed snrfacl A 10. ln a brooder, the combination of a lamp n chamber below the center of the 105 brooder, a lamp sup orted therein independent of the flue, a ue supported over said lamp and extending upward therefrom through a diaphragm and into a dome, a diahragm secured in said brooder and having IO small holes therein near its center, a dome secured to the upper side of said diaphragm outside said small holes therein, and having its apex above the upper end of said flue, a smoke-pipe leading from the space below said dia hragm to the outside, an air-pipe leading 'rom the outside to the space above said diaphragm, an outer dome around and above said dome and having a-hole in the apex thereof, and a hover supported over and I 20 around said domes whereby the fresh warm air from the air-chamber` is conveyed to the chiclfens thereunder.

11. In a brooder, the-combination with a hover having a central hollow cylinder with holes therein for warm air to pass to the backs of the chickens thereunder, of means for conveying a upply of fresh warm air free 1 from the products of combustion to said cylholes near its upper end and a lower row of l inder, and a water vessel supported in the 13o stream of the warm air in said cylinder and adapted to allow the water to evaporate and to charge said warm air with the normal amount of moisture.

12. A broeder-chamber having a floor, the central sect-ion thereof being removable and having a hole therein through which a suply of fresh warm air may be conveyed from below said brooding-chamber. l

'13. In a brooder, the combination with a brooding-chamber having a fixed floor with a central hole therein, of a removable' floor fitting in said hole in said 'fixed floor and having a holetherein, of a cylindrical sleeve secured in said holel and'extending above and below said Hoor; a dome secured to t-he lower end of said sleeve and" having a hole in the apex thereof said dome extendin above and below said floor, a hollow cylin( er 'supported vertically by said loora'nd having one or more rows of holes near its upper end,and a hover supported thereby and 4consisting of a horizontal board extemling out from said cylinder and a hover c-urtainand cloth supported by said board.

14. In a broeder7 the combination with a hover having a'central hollow cylinder supported on the hover -fioor and having holes` therein for warm air to pass to the backs of the chickens thereunder, of a lamp supported centrally" below the hover-floor, a diaphragm separating the space below saidl floor into ai smokechamber below and a fresh-air chamber aboveJ a closed dome extending into said fresh-air chamber and secured to the upper side ofsaid diaphragm but communicating with said smoke-chamber by small holes through said v'(liaphrae'ln, a flue supported by andpassing through said diaphragm over said lamp whereby the smoke and warm air areconveyed from Said lamp and collected in said dome whereby the fresh air is warmed and passes into said central hollow cylinder.

Signed at Tacoma this 26th day of March, 1904.

HENRY I". RAU.

WV-itnesses l WILLIAM E. WINDS FREDERIC J.' SrL-iw. 

